There’s a reason California is known for producing some of the world's finest wine. Its diverse terrain and climate make it a natural choice for growing grapes of all varieties, which is why vineyards and wineries are big business in the Golden State.

The state’s unique climate is also why wine makers must choose their building supplies carefully when designing wine production facilities. This winery is an excellent example of the necessity of selecting the right materials for the project and the product.

Located in California, this family-owned winery began operations in 1980. They are committed to producing and marketing wine of a superior quality that also integrates the family’s values of hard work, dedication, commitment, and integrity.

Project Goals and Needs

The winery family's sentiments were also applied when the company drafted plans to create a new wine production facility by converting an existing warehouse in the California-area. The overarching goal of this retrofit project was to convert a commercial space into a winery with about 100,000 gallons of capacity, crafted of humidity-resistant materials.

This facility would need to be energy-efficient while maintaining a stable internal environment that would be free from humidity and would remain airtight and weather-tight. These factors are vital towards the preservation of the quality of the wine being produced here.

The Outcome and Results

Marc Davis, owner of Division 13 Buildings, a pre-engineered builder, used Kingspan insulated roof and wall panels to create a building that addressed all of the family’s requirements for this facility. The roof of the 26,000-square-foot commercial structure was outfitted with KingZip insulated standing seam roof panels. The roof panel system not only fit into the established look the commercial building already possessed, it offered the performance the facility needed: superior thermal performance with high R-values, superior airtightness and weather-tightness, and low thermal bridging. When all of these performance benefits are combined, this can result in energy savings of as much as 30 percent.

While the building's original tilt-up walls were retained, they were augmented with the company’s 300 Series wall panel system to create a stable internal environment, ideally suited to preserve the quality of the product throughout the stages of wine production: from the crushing and fermenting of grapes, to the bottling and storage of the wine.

The roof panels and 300 Series wall panels created a complete high performance building envelope with a stable internal environment that is protected from outside elements. As an added benefit, the interior of the panels enhance the interior lighting systems due to their Bright White finish.

The Right Building Materials

Davis notes, “There’s a reason we use Kingspan’s IMPs for these types of niche buildings. Keeping out moisture and maintaining a stable temperature is critical in winemaking. And building insulation is key, which is why we trust [the company’s] products for these projects. The materials in their panels set the standard. I think the handwriting is on the wall for fiberglass panels, especially in California.”

The newly created wine production facility was completed in January 2014.